MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – October 18, 2012 – Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2012.

“We had a strong quarter. Revenue was up 45 percent year-on-year, and, at just fourteen years old, we cleared our first $14 billion revenue quarter,” said Larry Page, CEO of Google. “I am also really excited about the progress we’re making creating a beautifully simple, intuitive Google experience across all devices.”

Q3 Financial Summary

Google Inc. reported consolidated revenues of $14.10 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2012, an increase of 45% compared to the third quarter of 2011. Google Inc. reports its revenues, consistent with GAAP, on a gross basis without deducting traffic acquisition costs (TAC). In the third quarter of 2012, TAC totaled $2.77 billion, or 26% of advertising revenues.

Operating income, operating margin, net income, and earnings per share (EPS) are reported on a GAAP and non-GAAP basis. The non-GAAP measures, as well as free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, are described below and are reconciled to the corresponding GAAP measures at the end of this release.

• GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $2.74 billion, or 19% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $3.06 billion, or 31% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $3.80 billion, or 27% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.63 billion, or 37% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011.
• GAAP net income in the third quarter of 2012 was $2.18 billion, compared to $2.73 billion in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP net income in the third quarter of 2012 was $3.01 billion, compared to $3.18 billion in the third quarter of 2011.
• GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2012 was $6.53 on 333 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $8.33 in the third quarter of 2011 on 327 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2012 was $9.03, compared to $9.72 in the third quarter of 2011.
• Non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin exclude stock-based compensation (SBC) expense, as well as restructuring and related charges recorded in our Motorola business.  Non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS exclude the expenses noted above, net of the related tax benefits. In the third quarter of 2012, the expense related to SBC and the related tax benefits were $715 million and $155 million compared to $571 million and $116 million in the third quarter of 2011.  In the third quarter of 2012, restructuring and related charges recorded in our Motorola business were $349 million, and the related tax benefits were $76 million.

Q3 Financial Highlights

Revenues and other information – On a consolidated basis, Google Inc. revenues for the quarter ended September 30, 2012 was $14.10 billion, an increase of 45% compared to the third quarter of 2011.

• Google Revenues (advertising and other) – Google revenues were $11.53 billion, or 82% of consolidated revenues, in the third quarter of 2012, representing a 19% increase over third quarter 2011 revenues of $9.72 billion.
  • Google Sites Revenues – Google-owned sites generated revenues of $7.73 billion, or 67% of total Google revenues, in the third quarter of 2012. This represents a 15% increase over third quarter 2011 Google sites revenues of $6.74 billion.
  • Google Network Revenues – Google’s partner sites generated revenues of $3.13 billion, or 27% of total Google revenues, in the third quarter of 2012. This represents a 21% increase from third quarter 2011 Google network revenues of $2.60 billion.

  Google International Revenues – Google revenues from outside of the United States totaled $6.11 billion, representing 53% of total Google revenues in the third quarter of 2012, compared to 54% in the second quarter of 2012 and 55% in the third quarter of 2011.

  Foreign Exchange Impact on Google Revenues – Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the second quarter of 2012 through the third quarter of 2012, our Google revenues in the third quarter of 2012 would have been $136 million higher. Excluding gains related to our foreign exchange risk management program, had foreign exchange rates remained constant from the third quarter of 2011 through the third quarter of 2012, our Google revenues in the third quarter of 2012 would have been $557 million higher.

  • Google revenues from the United Kingdom totaled $1.22 billion, representing 11% of Google revenues in the third quarter of 2012, compared to 11% in the third quarter of 2011.
  • In the third quarter of 2012, we recognized a benefit of $62 million to Google revenues through our foreign exchange risk management program, compared to $1 million in the third quarter of 2011.

  Reconciliations of our non-GAAP international revenues excluding the impact of foreign exchange and hedging to GAAP international revenues are included at the end of this release.

  Paid Clicks – Aggregate paid clicks, which include clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our Network members, increased approximately 33% over the third quarter of 2011 and increased approximately 6% over the second quarter of 2012.

  Cost-Per-Click – Average cost-per-click, which includes clicks related to ads served on Google sites and the sites of our Network members, decreased approximately 15% over the third quarter of 2011 and decreased approximately 3% over the second quarter of 2012.

  TAC – Traffic acquisition costs, the portion of revenues shared with Google’s partners, increased to $2.77 billion in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $2.21 billion in the third quarter of 2011. TAC as a percentage of advertising revenues was 26% in the third quarter of 2012, compared to 24% in the third quarter of 2011.

  The majority of TAC is related to amounts ultimately paid to our Network members, which totaled $2.21 billion in the third quarter of 2012. TAC also includes amounts ultimately paid to certain distribution partners and others who direct traffic to our website, which totaled $556 million in the third quarter of 2012.

• Motorola Revenues (hardware and other) – Motorola revenues were $2.58 billion ($1.78 billion from the mobile segment and $797 million from the home segment), or 18% of consolidated revenues in the third quarter of 2012.

Other Cost of Revenues – Other cost of revenues, which is comprised primarily of data center operational expenses, amortization of intangible assets, content acquisition costs, credit card processing charges, and manufacturing and inventory-related costs, increased to $3.78 billion, or 27% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $1.17 billion, or 12% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011.

Operating Expenses – Operating expenses, other than cost of revenues, were $4.81 billion in the third quarter of 2012, or 34% of revenues, compared to $3.28 billion in the third quarter of 2011, or 34% of revenues.

Amortization Expenses – Amortization expenses of acquisition related intangible assets were $317 million for the third quarter of 2012, compared to $126 million in the third quarter of 2011.  Of the $317 million, $182 million was as a result of the acquisition of Motorola, of which $109 million was allocated to Google and $73 million was allocated to Motorola.

Stock-Based Compensation (SBC) – In the third quarter of 2012, the total charge related to SBC was $762 million, of which $47 million was restructuring-related, compared to $571 million in the third quarter of 2011.

We currently estimate SBC charges for grants to employees prior to September 30, 2012 to be approximately $2.7 billion for 2012. This estimate does not include expenses to be recognized related to employee stock awards that are granted after September 30, 2012 or non-employee stock awards that have been or may be granted.

Operating Income – On a consolidated basis, GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $2.74 billion, or 19% of revenues. This compares to GAAP operating income of $3.06 billion, or 31% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $3.80 billion, or 27% of revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.63 billion, or 37% of revenues, in the third quarter of 2011.

• Google Operating Income – GAAP operating income for Google was $3.26 billion, or 28% of Google revenues, in the third quarter of 2012. This compares to GAAP operating income of $3.06 billion, or 31% of Google revenues, in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter of 2012 was $3.95 billion, or 34% of Google revenues. This compares to non-GAAP operating income of $3.63 billion in the third quarter of 2011, or 37% of Google revenues.
• Motorola Operating Loss – GAAP operating loss for Motorola was $527 million ($505 million for the mobile segment and $22 million for the home segment), or -20% of Motorola revenues in the third quarter of 2012. Non-GAAP operating loss for Motorola in the third quarter of 2012 was $151 million, or -6% of Motorola revenues.

Interest and Other Income, Net – Interest and other income, net, was $63 million in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $302 million in the third quarter of 2011.

Income Taxes – Our effective tax rate was 22% for the third quarter of 2012.

Net Income – GAAP net income in the third quarter of 2012 was $2.18 billion, compared to $2.73 billion in the third quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP net income was $3.01 billion in the third quarter of 2012, compared to $3.18 billion in the third quarter of 2011. GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2012 was $6.53 on 333 million diluted shares outstanding, compared to $8.33 in the third quarter of 2011 on 327 million diluted shares outstanding. Non-GAAP EPS in the third quarter of 2012 was $9.03, compared to $9.72 in the third quarter of 2011.

Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures – Net cash provided by operating activities in the third quarter of 2012 totaled $4.0 billion, compared to $3.95 billion in the third quarter of 2011. In the third quarter of 2012, capital expenditures were $872 million, the majority of which was for production equipment and facilities-related purchases. Free cash flow, an alternative non-GAAP measure of liquidity, is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures. In the third quarter of 2012, free cash flow was $3.13 billion.

We expect to continue to make significant capital expenditures.

A reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the GAAP measure of liquidity, is included at the end of this release.

Cash – As of September 30, 2012, cash, cash equivalents, and short-term marketable securities were $45.7 billion.

Headcount – On a worldwide basis, we employed 53,546 full-time employees (36,118 in our Google business and 17,428 in our Motorola business) as of September 30, 2012, compared to 54,604 full-time employees as of June 30, 2012.